South Africa hosts first NBA match

Basketball fans across Africa would enjoy live first-ever National Basketball Association game with the fixture of Team World against Team Africa in South Africa.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday by SuperSport, saying the exhibition match has been scheduled for Saturday (today) at the Ellis Park Arena, Johannesburg. It said the match would enjoy the support of various charity organisations across the continent, adding the ticket had since sold out.

The statement noted that Sudanese, two-time captain of the NBA All Stars, Luol Deng of Miami Heats would lead the pack for Team Africa.

It added that it would be a homecoming of sorts for Team Africa players, whose parents were of Africa descent. Some of the players were born on the continent, while a few second generation Africans.

The African Team include, Al- Farouq Aminu who plays with Portland Trail Blazers, U.S.; has Nigerian parents. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who plays for Milwaukee Bucks from Greece has his parents from Nigeria. Nicolas Batum, plays for Charlotte Hornets from France but his parents from were from the Cameroons, Bismack Biyombo, plays for Toronto Raptors had the Democratic Republic of Congo parents.

Festus Ezeli, who plays for Golden State Warriors, is Nigerian, while Serge Ibaka, who plays for Oklahoma City Thunder, from Congo and Luc Mbah a Moute, plays for Sacramento Kings, is Camerounian.